Living. Learning. Sharing

A few years back, I started a new job. Upon my arrival I was told that my paycheck would come to me in form a… check.

I’m sorry, what did you say?

I was shocked.

Who writes checks anymore?

I was used to getting paid by direct deposit. When I woke up on payday the money there. I didn’t have to wait to be handed the check, go to the bank and then wait for the funds to be released. Sometimes it would take up to two days!

I had become so accustomed to getting things immediately that I was actually irritated at the idea of having to wait.

Can you relate? I’m sure you can. There is so much available to us, at our fingertips, immediately that when it comes to waiting we just don’t know what to do!

Many of us simply don’t like to wait.

I know I don’t! And I’m talking about the “little” every day stuff. When it comes to the big stuff I really don’t like to wait.

Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wing like eagels, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31

So, imagine for a moment that we are living in exile – waiting on a promise. A promise of deliverance from our captivity.

This is basically where the Jews (the people Isaiah 40 was originally written to) were at. God had promised to deliver them but they had begun to think he had forgotten them.

And they were tired.

If we’re being honest, I think a lot of us have felt this way at one time or another. We’ve waited for a long time for loved ones to come to Christ, for a business venture to “take off”, for a spouse, for a child… and we’re tired.

Tired of waiting. Tired of wishing. Tired of disappointment. Tired of working. Tired of doctor’s appointments. Tired of failing.

Waiting isn’t just hard. It’s exhausting.

That is, when we are “waiting” according to our definition of the word.

The Hebrew word for “wait” in this passage isn’t the same as our English definition of “wait” (to stay where you are; to delay action). This “wait” actually means to trust or hope in.

When our hope and trust is in God, we actually receive strength. Whereas, when we focus on our present circumstances we become weary.

Generally when we are waiting on something we expend a lot of energy thinking about it or trying to do things to speed up the process.

It’s important for us to remember who God is when we are waiting. Isaiah 40:26 reminds us that He is the Creator of the universe. There is no one like Him; not only is He able but He is faithful to fulfill His promises!

When we know who He is and we place all of our hope and trust in Him (and Him alone) we will receive new strength.

4 thoughts on “When Waiting is Exhausting”

These whole mama posts seem to be pointing us solidly back to hope with waiting this week. I love how it all coincides into something beautiful.

And I love this bit where you remind us of God’s character:
“It’s important for us to remember who God is when we are waiting. Isaiah 40:26 reminds us that He is the Creator of the universe. There is no one like Him; not only is He able but He is faithful to fulfill His promises!”